Tolley: What To Watch In Arkansas' Opener

Friday

Aug 30, 2013 at 12:13 AM

Whatever happens at Razorback Stadium on Saturday, it won’t be a Citadel moment.

Whatever happens at Razorback Stadium on Saturday, it won’t be a Citadel moment.

Even if Arkansas loses to Louisiana-Lafayette in Bret Bielema’s first game as the Hogs head coach, he will not be fired. It won’t even be a"ULM moment such like last year when John L. Smith became a lame duck-interim head coach when Arkansas lost in Little Rock.

Whether Arkansas loses or wins by 45 points is not going to matter all that much in the long run. Bielema is dramatically renovating the team from Bobby Petrino’s smoke-and-mirrors flash to a hard-hat and ham sandwich mentality.

You might expect such a transformation to take some time and ULL is not a typical cupcake opponent. The Ragin’ Cagins scared Florida in the Swamp 27-20 last year, were 9-4 and won the New Orleans Bowl.

Don’t worry so much about the scoreboard, but here are some key factors to watch to give you some indication of how the Hogs season might go and the future under Bielema.

It is probably cliche’, but it it true. This team isn’t going anywhere without solid quarterbacking. Brandon Allen wasn’t ready to go last year when Tyler Wilson was knocked out of the ULM game with a concussion, but Allen has been drawing rave reviews from the coaches in preseason workouts.

Allen is the blueprint quarterback for the style Bielema ran at Wisconsin and wants to use at Arkansas. He not the most athletic or have the biggest arm, but he is smart, tough and accurate. He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes.

Since he is a redshirt sophomore and doesn’t necessarily seem to have a NFL future, Arkansas could have Allen running the show for the next three years.

Pass coverage was horrible last year and the defense couldn’t get off the field. Opposing teams converting on third-and-8 can break your spirit quickly. ULL’s strength is a high-powered offense and strong quarterback.

The Arkansas defensive front figures to be strong, but will need that extra second of two that a good pass defense gives you to get pressure on the quarterback.

Bielema has done a lot of talking about playing physical "real American football" with tight ends and fullbacks. Arkansas should have an advantage over ULL man-to-man in the trenches and the Hogs should be able to impose their will and run the ball consistently.

If not, it could be a flag of concern about how they will do when they face more physical SEC teams.

After Petrino was gone, Arkansas had the same players and the same coaches but the season collapsed like a house of cards as a result of too many mistakes and dumb penalties. A mark of a well-coached team is that the players are well prepared for any situation and don’t make many penalties.

ULL is going to try to take chances and try to make some big plays with its offense and would like to turn the game into a track meet. Arkansas will counter with a more methodical, physical style.

The Ragin’ Cagins might hit a few and if they get a two-score lead early could force Arkansas to play out of its comfort zone. But if Arkansas maintains composure and executes, the Hogs should be able to wear down the visitors after halftime and bank Bielema’s first win … Arkansas 28, ULL 17.

Grant Tolley is a Times Record sports writer. Email: gtolley@swtimes.com. Twitter: @Grant_TimesRec

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